Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Daily Mindfulness Training: a Case Report of Comorbid Binge Eating and Bipolar Disorders

Excerpt

Brown and Ryan (2003) conceptualized dispositional mindfulness as a self-regulatory function, which is characterized by “being attentive to and aware of what is taking place in the present moment” (p. 882). Mindfulness training added to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to reduce binge eating behavior, drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction while increasing psychological well-being and quality of life for obese individuals diagnosed with binge eating disorder (BED; Carrard et al. 2011). In order to integrate mindfulness into general psychological practice, clinicians often utilize practical strategies with their clients such as the use of daily reminders, the integration into daily activities, and psychoeducational techniques like educational skill building and stress management (Dimidjian and Kleiber 2013; Shonin et al. 2014). Mindfulness meditation can be trained with between-session practice (Bowen and Kurz 2012). Moreover, mindfulness has been shown to reduce negative mood and impulsivity, as well as increase psychological well-being with clinical and nonclinical populations (Bowen and Kurz 2012; Brown and Ryan 2003). …